Arthritis

Conditions & Treatments

Arthritis is a common cause of joint pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased range of motion that affects more than 50 million Americans. Einstein offers a full range of treatment options to help relieve your pain, restore your range of motion and get you back to living an active life.

Types of Arthritis

There are more than 200 types of arthritides that can affect your bones and joints. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, in which the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time, causing your bones to grind against each other. Another common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic joint inflammation.

Treatment Options

Depending upon symptom severity among other factors, your doctor may recommend a variety of options to manage or treat your arthritis, including:

Medication & Lifestyle Changes

While the damage that arthritis can do to your joints is not reversible, anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections and other treatments can be used to reduce your pain and swelling. Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy and exercise to reduce your pain and improve your range of motion. Maintaining a healthy weight can also reduce your pain and inflammation and slow the progression of your arthritis in weight-bearing joints such as your knees, hips and spine.

Surgical Options

In some cases, you may need surgery to help relieve the pain caused by your arthritis and/or to restore mobility. This could involve removing bone spurs that have developed as a result of your arthritis, a partial or total joint replacement or a fusion surgery, which is often used on the spine, fingers or toes. Fusion surgeries permanently connect the arthritic bones together so that they move as a single unit, sacrificing mobility for pain relief.

Learn more about surgical options for: